Rothschilds Fiddle

1732 WordsApr 14, 20137 Pages

Jackson Weeks
Harold
English 101
1-31-13
Chekhov’s Use of Futliarnost to Develop Yakov and the
Importance of Morals in “Rothschild’s Fiddle”
Futliarnost, a Russian literature theme which is often present in Anton Chekhov’s short stories, is when a character is encased in a situation and can not escape. In “Rothschild’s Fiddle”, Yakov is entrapped in an almost trance like state, that is brought about by loss and remorse in his life. “Is Yakov ever released from this state, through Marfa’s death, or any other instance and does Chekhov intend for the reader to see one single moral in this story?” Chekhov uses irony and ambiguity to develop Yakov “Rothschild’s Fiddle” into a deeper character as well.
Chekhov uses one particular irony…show more content…

Perhaps she was just rosy from the fever, or more likely just relieved that she was finally going to be released from her dreary life of being frightened by Yakov, mistreated, and not appreciated. Even though Marfa only has a small presence in the text, she is a great tool for Chekhov. She is used to bring up Yakov’s past. Marfa says “Do you remember fifty years ago God gave us a little baby with flaxen hair? We used always to be sitting by the river then, singing songs . . . under the willows," and laughing bitterly, she added: "The baby girl died." Yakov did not remember his baby from years ago. Yakov had shut out most of his past, and only thought of profit and losses. However when Yakov later goes and sits beneath the tree and finally remembers their child, the reader is not ever sure as to whether he actually remembers the child, or if it is just a figment of his imagination. Another ambiguity is when Yakov leaves the cemetary after Marfa’s burial it is said that he didn’t feel well. However it is never clarified if he is physically ill, or emotionally ill. If Yakov is only emotionally ill and ends up dying from this it would indicate that Yakov is much more deeply connected to Marfa than has previously been shown. This would perpetuate the theme of loss, because if he was extremely close to his wife, then her loss is only that much more painful to him.
Loss is surely the main recurring theme throughout “Rothschild’s Fiddle”. Yakov in

The Story
The setting of “Rothschild's Fiddle” is a squalid little village where Yakov Ivanov, a Russian coffin maker, and Rothschild, an equally poor Jewish musician, both live. Yakov lives in a one-room hut, which contains his gloomy wares as well as his humble domestic possessions. Childless, the dour Yakov barely notices Martha, his downtrodden wife of fifty years. Yakov has an unexpected side to his character, for he is a gifted, if rude, violinist who is sometimes invited to join the local